Anime and Manga

[ficwize]

I came into fandom two ways - X-men and Dragonball Z. Back in the days of Yahoo Groups, I spent more time in the anime/manga fandsom than in any others. For some reason, when I came to LJ, that wsn't the case. I think 95% of my fandom activity is now comics or live action fandoms.

That's well and good, but...

I miss the anime and manga fandoms!

So, I'm going to make an effort to seek out more friends from those fandoms and be more active it them.

Right now, I'm nearly finished watching Blood +. In short, it is amazing. There is a female protagonist! Saya, whom I adore, is part of an adopted family in Okinawa.. Her father is American, her brothers are both Japanese.

It's about what it means to be family and what it means to be human and what it means to be friends with someone who has done something truly horrible.

Also, it's complicated and ranges from Russia to Japan to Viet Nam. It deals with issues of class and gender in post-war societies. The fallof the Soviet Union is a a big part of the story.

So, has anyone else seen it? I have desperate need to discuss. Did I mention that it's also about some sort of vampire-things called Chiropterans???

Epic and awesome!

Comments

[sabriel75.livejournal.com]

Of course I've seen it. One of the first anime series that I watched after Tokyo Babylon/X!

So what would you like to discuss? How it breaks my heart into a million little pieces every time I think about various scenes in it? Or how Hagi is gorgeous, long-suffering and just beautiful with Saya.

[ficwize.livejournal.com]

LOL. First you can tell me how long it is? Are there 2 seasons? And a movie? Live action movie only or anime movie?

And, oh, dear God... Hagi. ♥

I've just finished episode 20 out of 25 in Part I.

I.... don't even know! If you can avoid spoilers, I'd really like to talk about the badkdrop and setting. I'm absolutely fascinated by the alternate history parts of it (Chernobyl not being real?) and the mix of characters nationalities.

[sabriel75.livejournal.com]

Okay... it's not a very long series, only two season or 50 episodes total I believe.

It does successfully conclude though. There's nothing left to clean up. The end is the end. And not much more can be said because that would involve spoilers.

The backdrop mostly are flashbacks and modern day where Sayu is... They explain everything from where the Schiff come from to how each person came to choose the side that they are on: Diva vs. Saya.

However, somehow along the way Saya has escaped being merely a puppet programmed for destruction when in Vietnam her adoptive father saves her from that life. He tries to keep her protected but you should know what happens given that you're on episode 20. That breaks my heart because as much as I want Hagi to have his only companion in life returned to him; it is only at the sacrifice of the normalcy Saya has been given with this new life.

The alternate history parts are woven into the story-line brilliantly. Since they are constantly on the run, Saya and entourage interfere with daily historical occurrences just to survive, many of them traps set up by Diva's Chevaliers to kill her.

What I find most fascinating is the psychological argument that comes into play throughout this series. Nature vs. Nurture... would Diva have been different if she had only been loved like Saya had been? Did the misplaced "mad scientist" in a human infect a the preternatural instincts of an otherwise benign creatures? Did our interference cause the disruption and therefore create the actual animosity that develops in Diva for us?

There is an anime movie and a live-action film. Neither really representative of the original product. And there is now Manga which I abhor. The artwork is somewhat sloppy in my estimation.

Anything else?

[shane-mayhem.livejournal.com]

If you're an anime fan, I wonder...have you seen Rose of Versailles? It's an older one, from the 70's, but so genderfucked and awesome! XD

[ficwize.livejournal.com]

I have not seen it... nor does it seem to be available on Netflix. I shall see what I can do, because it sounds awesome!

[momebie.livejournal.com]

I have not seen Blood +, but I miss anime/manga fandoms too. I need to start watching it more. And I mean, other than rewatching Trigun and Cowboy Bebop once a year, because I'm just weird like that.

I really ought to pick back up on Bleach, but I'm YEARS behind now.

[ficwize.livejournal.com]

BLEACH. Watch it. It's soooo good! You'll be caught up in no time. :D

[momebie.livejournal.com]

It has seriously been three years. And I was watching them as they were released in Japan, so I think I'm probably back several hundred episodes at this point. :p I'm actually trying to decide whether I should try to dig up the manga on that one or just get the anime eps and watch those. CHOICES ARE SO HARD. :p

That being said, because I don't have many anime oriented friends any more, I don't have anyone to suggest me things to watch and keep me in it. So, Blood + eh? Anything else you've seen lately?

[ficwize.livejournal.com]

I love Blood+ and I think you will like it as well. I seriously love Saya, and that's unusual for me to identify so strongly with the female lead, but I do.

And there is so much going on!

I'm finishing up reading Fruits Basket now and I've got Shamen King and X/1999 to read next, Fulmetal Panic and E's Otherwise both to watch - and I need to get caught up on Bleach and Naruto, myself.

I feel a Bleach marathon weekend coming up soon. (It's on Hulu. Psst.) And of course you can read it online if you know where to look - and I think you do. :)

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